When it comes to choosing to work as a police officer, there are several important aspects that you should keep an eye on. Provided that not every US city is equally created, your decision can be highly influenced by a number of criteria that include growth rates and average cost of living, as well. Guiding yourself depending upon the average salary of a police officer might be a good criterion to consider, and below are the top cities with highest salaries that you can possibly earn yearly.

1. Seattle, WA

Seattle is currently the highest-paying US city for police officers, with a starting salary of $60,672. However, the unemployment rate is currently very high – 8.7 percent –, but it is still better than many other large cities. Home to many corporate headquarters, Seattle is Washington state’s largest economic, cultural and educational center. Police officers will have the opportunity to work in a friendly environment, even though criminality is very prominent in this region of the US.

2. Austin, TX

Austin nearly tops the list when it comes to US cities with high salaries for police officers. This is due to the low unemployment rate, which is approximately 6.3 percent, compared to several other cities, where the unemployment rate is higher – for instance, San Diego, CA, with an unemployment rate of 8.8 percent, whilst Portland, OR has an employment rate of 10.7 percent. The starting salary for a police officer is $52,374, with an average salary of $41,330 per citizen.

3. Oklahoma City, OK

Closely following Austin, Oklahoma City is currently the third best city for police officers who expect good working conditions and an excelling salary, as well. The starting salary is $47,878, whilst the city’s average salary is $35,970 – this is pretty impressive, considering than many other cities are paying police officers unfairly. Oklahoma City has been experiencing substantial increases in natural resources, constriction, mining and wholesale. At this time, the city is subject to government and energy exploration, fostering positive working environments for police officers who are seeking calmness.

4. San Antonio, TX

As the fourth best city for police officers, San Antonio has a starting salary of $44,136, with an unemployment rate of 6 percent – which is definitely 0.3 percent lower compared to Austin. Due to the fact that the city has suffered drastic changes over the past years, the job growth is very promising, with plenty of opportunities in healthcare, education, service sectors and government. The tourism in San Antonio is continually developing, which makes it a good US city for police officers who want to receive unexpected possibilities to become higher in their grades.

5. Salt Lake City, UT

Positioned on the fifth place, Salt Lake City is one of the best cities for those who want to pursue a career as police officers. The average salary per citizen is $39,590, whilst the starting salary for police officers if $38,584. Still, the unemployment rate here is the lowest so far, with 5.2 percent, which makes it one of the top cities in the US. Salt Lake City is great for seasonal outdoor recreation tourism, offering better working conditions than many other larger cities.